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Audience Clapping

L

lwknives

May 6, 2012
332
2
#1
Under what circumstances do you direct the audience to clap along with the music?

When Rodrigo y Gabriela do it at a big show it is awesome, if there are five people drinking at a bar not paying much attention to the music it would just be awkward.

Does your band try and get the audience clapping?
 
#2
It depends on the audience. For the most part, it's a really bad idea that'll end in a train wreck...for some reason, audiences love to clap on 1 and 3. However, if you're playing for salsa dancers, not only will they clap effectively, they'll clap you a clave.
 
#7
Clapping usually works well when few instruments are going. It gives the audience a chance to clap and be heard within the song. Like giving them their own solo.... Especially when the drums drop out for a few measures - it keeps the beat.

When should you do it? Mostly a feel thing. If the singer does it, a portion of the audience will join in. If the entire band does it (or at least one more member) it will get more people involved. If the timing is weird or the music has too much going on sonically, it does not tend to work. Try clapping to a death metal song.....:D
 
#8
I'm pretty much a non-clapper and if I"m at a show and the band wants me to clap I usually don't.

I look around the room when we're playing. If someone is moving a little to the music or toe tapping or hitting the table that's good enough for me.

Some of the girls have this little groove thing they do. That's way better than the clap ha, ha.
 
#9
Nah. Let them do it if they feel like it. It usually winds up with phasing issues because the back of the crowd hears the music a split second after the front, and then their claps take a split second to make their way back to the stage. So there is a delay that throws everything off. Not worth it unless you are playing a stadium and there are 20,000 fans who can't be heard in your amazingly expensive ear monitors.
 
#15
lwknives said:
Under what circumstances do you direct the audience to clap along with the music?
Click to expand...

IMO, you should never have to "direct" the audience to clap. If they're not spontaneously clapping, of their own accord, without being directed, it generally means they're not feeling the groove sufficiently to clap.

Therefore, your mission is not to "direct" them to clap. Your mission is to make such an infectious, bodacious groove that they won't be able to restrain themselves from clapping. :cool:

Put the horse back before the cart, and all that... :hmm:

MM
 
#16
elgecko said:
Are you sure it wasn't 1 and 3? 2 and 4 are the back beat.
Click to expand...

I am reminded of the documentary I watched on the making of Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album. They discussed the clapping on Bennie and the Jets as decidedly English, utilizing the ones and threes with clear disregard for the funk and backbeat the song otherwise featured.
 
#19
elgecko said:
It depends on the audience. For the most part, it's a really bad idea that'll end in a train wreck...for some reason, audiences love to clap on 1 and 3. However, if you're playing for salsa dancers, not only will they clap effectively, they'll clap you a clave.
Click to expand...

How true, drive me nut's when they clap on the 1 and 3, and most likely drag the beat down to an unplayable tempo. LOL
 

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